Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-29
THE RAPPAHANNOCK.
4 TRIP DOWN THE BEAUTIFUL AND
HISTORIC STREAM.
An OLD Mansion Port Conway and Port
KoyAl-personsl Notes
The Crops.

dering on the Rappahannock river be-
tween fredericksburg and the bay is
terra incognitG. The exceptions ="
are those whose good fortune it has
been 10 dwell at some time in this quiet,
goodly land, or else 10 seek relief from
carking care by the rcstful trip down
the Rappahannock..
Our little party, in which both classes
were represented, left Richmond by
the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Po-
tOmac railroad at ii o'clock on Mon
day. Nothing worthy of mention oc-
cured except that at the Junction We
had some difficulty with belated
tramp, who persisted in getting in front
of the engine and endeayorirg to
steal ride for himself and a
little boy whom he was leading. De
!gustibus! etc. Owing to the tides,
which made il necessary that the
steamer should leave ahead of schedule
time, We made quick connection, ar
irving at Fredericksburg at / :3S and
leaving at . T. NJ. No opportunity
was given for inspecting the venerable
town. and what was more vpXatlous to
at least one of the party, there was no
time for dinner. The steamer ran
down TO Leeds, where the night was
spent This part Of the Rappahannock
is slngularly like the James, which, III
turn, is said, as to the rich brown color
of its WATERS to he singularly like the
classic 1ibor. In poetry they talk
about the "tawny name " of the Tiber,
and / suppose young lovers on Gam
ble's Hill, under the harvest moon,
may have some equally high-flown
conception Of the rushing "Jeems,
hut to the fellow who has
10 drink it unfltcrcd it is awfully
muddy" only this and nothing
more" But 1 started to write about
the Rappahannock. On the trip To
Leeds two notable places were passed.
The first was fine and curious old CO.
lonial mansion-Cleavcs. 1t is at
present the residence Of Henry Byrd
Lewis, Esq, and with lis red-brick
walls. quaint angles, and gloriously
green sward, slopinG down to the very
bank of the river, formed beautiful
picture. Unfortunately no copy of
Howe was at hand. hut one of our
party, rather more antiquarian in his
tastes than the rest of rs, said that
Howe had very interesting account of
this very mansion. 1t IS IN King
George county.
A little further down Port Conway,
in King George, confronts Port Royal,
III Caroline Here Gtisrecalled) 1t was
that tie infatuated Booth, having
wrought his dreadful deed, and fleeing
for ms life, crossed the river, and just
up there in Caroline he was slain. The
rIy,r grows broader and more attractive
rs we proceed. hut the sapper-g0nE is
still muc SO. And 1t is Il splendid sup
per, and splcndidly served 4 good
nights IoSt, al enchanting breakfast,
and q quiet smoke follow each other
normally, and 10y degrees our party is
enlarged. for We are going to the Rap
pahannock Association, which meets
this year in he lower part OF Lancis-
ter At Tappahannock huge heaps Of
magnificent watormelons are taken on
board for Baltimore, ana We are de-
layCd some time ia consequence.
We aye inevitably reminded Of the
recent death Of Mr. Hunter, the most
distinguished citizen Of Essex. His
death still further dimluishos the num-
lcr-uOw small cnough-of those pub
lie men WHO served their country in
that period
When mono was tor tho party
And all were for the state
Bat away W. 90, and rs we 60 thc
river gTows more and more majestic.
Nacaulay somewhere calls attention 10
the singular love which the various
people cherish for then riyers-such.
{. H., as that Of tue HindUs for the
GaDges, the Egyptians for the Nile, the
Romans for the Iibcr, the Hebrews
for the Jordan. and so on. There l.
something curious about it, One whose
earlier and untrouhlcd years were spent
on the banks of the lower Rappahan-
mock, who i'll childhood strayd along
its white beach and watched 1.-THE
stately ships 90 by" who has seen It's
face white with anger or cim and
peaceful, and who Ia other and later
years, not to grow too sentimental, has
chased the festive soft-crab AMI double
shell, or the more elusive hard shell,
with forkod stick. and rolled-up
trousers bearded the festive oyster i'll
his native home and met ANA van%uished
the succulent spot on his native heath.
may be pardoned if he speaks Of the
"noble river" in terms Of affection
and somewhat at length, considering
the heated term. But enough Of this.
There iswide spread complaint, as We
learn from the delegates who are COM
ing on at every wharf, of scarcity OF
grain, etc, owing to the failure of last
years crops. This year, however the
corn is magnificent, and trucks have
had splendid season ana are bringing
fine prices But farmers viii complain
and Justify complaining by reference To
Job, forgetting that Job lost all his
property. bis reputation, his children,
his health, and, worse than all that,
his wife turned against him.
The storm which visited Richmond
and vicinity on Monday the 18th did
considerable amount OF damage
throughout King George and adjacent
counties.
This section has also suffered from
enteric diseases, and there has been
considerable mortality therelrom, es-
pecially among the children.
The wharyes are only few miles
apart from Leeds to the mouth of the
riyeR and the freight is very heavy at
this season Of the year. Berries, can
taloupos, watermclons, calves, sheep,
grain, ETC., etc, are shipped in large
quantities.
Around some OF the landings thrifty
Villages have grown up. This is nota-
bly, true of Sharp's wharf, III Rich
mond county. A curiosity for this
county in the shape of a fine Artesian
well sunk on the wharf 200 yards from
the shore attracted the attention OF all
the passengers.
A constant stream Of cold soft water
is thus obtained, and ! was told that
the flow was about 300 gallons hourly.
From this point on the number Of pas
sengers was rapidly increased by dele
gates TO the association. The prospects
are good for a large attendance and a
fine meeting. One face long familiar
10 the association will be missed, that
Of the venerable DIR. Andrew Broaddus,
whoseill health prevents his attendance.